You are the light of the world — what meaning is behind that phrase from Jesus? And what implications do those words have for his followers? Read on to explore this important message about shining brightly for Christ.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15
It’s fascinating to see what people will do when they think no one’s looking. Every once in a while, especially in this day and age, we glimpse what people are capable of through social media and hidden cameras. Generally speaking, people are less likely to sin when a camera is on them.
Imagine being the woman at the well or Nathanael. Here comes Jesus, who can tell them things that only someone with the ability to know all things could know. All Jesus told Nathanael is that He saw him under the fig tree. Nathanael responds, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” The woman at the well becomes an evangelist, declaring to people that Jesus was able to tell her “all that she has ever done.”
Imagine the vulnerability they felt. They were minding their own business when, all of a sudden, there comes a man who sees them. He knows what they do in secret. He knows everything about them. Suddenly they realize something pretty scary. There’s no such thing as being alone as long as Jesus is alive. Jesus sees them at all times.
The Meaning of You Are the Light of the World
Jesus is the Light. The Bible is pretty clear about that. Jesus declares this truth over and over again. He said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
And in John 12:35-37, Jesus said, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
In Matthew 5:14 Jesus looks at His disciples and says you are the light of the world. Note that he tells them you are the light of the world. He doesn’t say they should be the light or should shine more brightly; rather, they are already the light. What’s the meaning behind that phrase?
The moment that people believe in the Light (Jesus), they themselves become sons of Light. Of course, believers have no light source in and of themselves. But rather, like the moon reflects the sun, we reflect the light of Jesus onto the world around us. We, simply by living holy lives in word and deed, striving to be like our Savior, shine the light of Christ to all the people around us. You are the light of the world. Teens in your youth ministry are the light of the world.
Shining Light in the Darkness
The world loves the darkness. Like a cockroach that freaks out when exposed to light, the world hates the light and wants to hide. Of course, I’m not comparing people to cockroaches; okay, maybe just the Pharisees. But when the light is around, the truth is clear. People don’t get to do the works they want to, like when the light is off.
Jesus said in John 3:19, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”
Obviously, Nathanael, Zacchaeus and the woman at the well, just to name a few, when their sin was exposed responded with humility, repented, and embraced the light. But Jesus encountered other responses. In fact, the most common response was rejection and hate.
Jesus constantly exposed the Pharisees. He could see their hearts and was regularly reading their thoughts. On several occasions, Jesus told them what they were thinking, thus exposing the fact that He could see their evil thoughts. The Pharisees were desperately afraid of the crowd and therefore did not act.
But eventually, Jesus had been so exposed that running and hiding were no longer options. The Pharisees got put in a corner, decided enough was enough, and came back fighting. The problem was simple: The Light was too bright, and they wanted the darkness back.
That’s how sin works; it thrives in the darkness. Like bacteria that need water to live, sin lives off of darkness and grows exponentially. Whenever believers shine the light of Christ, the world won’t like it. They’ll be exposed and will want to run and hide or, in some cases, fight back. They did so with Jesus and will do so with us (John 15:20).
Being Light-Bearers for Jesus
Just like with salt, risk is associated with the role of light-bearers. With salt, it’s the risk of losing taste. With light, it’s the desire of hiding it and keeping it to ourselves. But in the meantime, we must ask: Are you reflecting the light of Christ on the world around you?
Just like we saw with salt, unbelievers should feel uncomfortable sinning around you. Of course, you shouldn’t be obnoxious and angry. But your life and your witness should trigger the world God has placed around you. Either they should despise you for following Christ or want to join you in following Him. That’s what the light does. It lights up darkness every single time.
You are the light of the world. That phrase has significant meaning and implications for our daily lives. May we be like lamps filling each room we walk into with light until the moment the Lord takes us home to be with Him.
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